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The Wildlife Society |
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PRESS/MEDIA RELEASE 10/23/00 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SUGGESTED TITLE: Biologists Comment on Sierra Nevada Forest Plan For additional information, contact persons listed at the conclusion of this document. Body of Document: Professional wildlife biologists of the Western Section of The Wildlife Society (TWS) recently reviewed and commented on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the U.S. Forest Service's Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment. In a letter to Mr. Bradley E. Powell of the U.S. Forest Service, dated August 10, 2000, the President of the Western Section of TWS (Dr. Michael Morrison) commended the U.S. Forest Service for its planning effort but concluded that TWS was unable to support any specific alternative. TWS, an international, nonprofit scientific and educational organization serving professionals in all areas of wildlife conservation and resource management. The Western Section of TWS is composed of nearly 650 professional wildlife biologists working for government agencies, consulting firms, universities and nonprofit organizations in California, Nevada, and Hawaii, including many who work within the Sierra Nevada forest ecosystem. In its letter, TWS pointed out that one of its primary objectives is to develop and promote sound stewardship of wildlife resources and of the environments upon which wildlife and humans depend. With that objective, the Western Section of TWS cannot support any of the alternatives given that all of them degrade wildlife habitat relative to the potential habitat for focal species of wildlife occurring in the Sierra Nevada. It was further pointed out that the alternatives were prepared illogically and that it would have been more scientifically defensible to use a systems approach to alternative development and selection. TWS further criticized the uninformative analytical approach and the deferring of discussion on adaptive management to the Final EIS. Dr. Morrison concluded the TWS letter with an offer to Mr. Powell: that the Western Section of The Wildlife Society is willing to provide assistance to the U.S. Forest Service in its planning effort as members of the Western Section of TWS are very concerned over the present and future health of the Sierra Nevada ecosystem. So far, the U.S. Forest Service has not responded. For additional information, please contact: President, The Wildlife Society, Western Section: Dr. Michael Morrison Department of Biological Sciences 6000 J Street California State University Sacramento, CA 95819 (916) 996-2374 fax (916) 278-6993 e-mail: michael.morrison@verizon.net ---------------------------------------------- Chair, Conservation Affairs Committee; The Wildlife Society, Western Section: Kenneth Shawn Smallwood 109 Luz Place Davis, CA 95616 e-mail: puma@davis.com ---------------------------------------------- Chair, Public Information Committee; The Wildlife Society, Western Section: Dr. Jerry Boggs The Environmental Trust 7879 El Cajon Blvd La Mesa, CA 91949 (619) 461-8333 x13 fax (619) 461-8313 jboggs@tet.org |